Dianthus plant named ‘Heart&#39;s Desire’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dianthus  plant named ‘Heart&#39;s Desire’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; short internodes and freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; numerous pink and red purple bi-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage; and excellent garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus hyhrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Heart's Desire’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthusplant, botanically known as Dianthus hybrida, grown as a container andgarden plant, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Heart's Desire’.

The new Dianthus is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofDianthus hybrida ‘Rosish One’, not patented. The new Dianthus wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant from within apopulation of plants of ‘Rosish One’ in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Smoketown, Pa. on Jun. 1, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttingspropagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Smoketown, Pa.since Oct. 1, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this newDianthus are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dianthus have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Heart's Desire’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Hearts's Desire’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Dianthus:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Short internodes and freely branching habit; dense and bushy        growth habit.    -   4. Numerous pink and red purple bi-colored flowers that are        positioned above and beyond the foliage.    -   5. Excellent garden performance.

Plants of the new Dianthus differ from plants of the parent, ‘RosishOne’ primarily in flower form as plants of the new Dianthus have flatterand more open flowers than plants of ‘Rosish One’. In addition, plantsof the new Dianthus and ‘Rosish One’ differ in flower color as plants of‘Rosish One’ have dark pink-colored flowers with white-colored margins.

Plants of the new Dianthus can also be compared to plants of Dianthus‘Pixie’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,578. Plants of the newDianthus differ from plants of ‘Pixie’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Dianthus are more upright and more        uniformly mounded than plants of ‘Pixie’.    -   2. Plants of the new Dianthus and ‘Pixie’ differ in flower color        as plants of ‘Pixie’ have red purple-colored flowers with        lighter red purple spots and margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Dianthus. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Dianthus.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Heart's Desire’ grown in acontainer.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Heart's Desire’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Theaforementioned photographs and following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown during the spring in Lancaster, Pa. in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices whichapproximate those generally used in commercial Dianthus production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C.to 29° C. and night temperatures averaged 16° C. Plants were pinched onetime and were seven months from planting when the photographs and thedetailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrida ‘Heart's Desire’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Dianthus    hybrida ‘Rosish One’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at 28° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at 28° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 18 to 20            days at 28° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 22 days            at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Thin, fleshy; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant            habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely-branching            growth habit with about 12 to 14 lateral branches, pinching            enhances lateral branch development; relatively short            internodes; dense and bushy growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 16.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 26 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length About 15 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Internode length: About 5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: Close to 145C.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Decussate, simple; sessile.            Length: About 5.4 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Acicular.            Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate; decurrent. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous with silvery-blue            bloom. Texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Venation            pattern: Parallel. Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to 189A; midvein, close to 189A. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 191A; midvein,            close to 191A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Rotate, flat, mostly open, terminal            and axillary flowers. Flowers positioned above and beyond            the foliage; flowers typically face upright to outwardly.            Flowers faintly fragrant; spicy, clove-like.        -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous during the            spring in Pennsylvania.        -   Flower longevity.—On the plant, flowers maintain good            substance and color for about ten days; flowers persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 155A.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About 20 in about four to five            whorls. Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 1.4 cm. Shape:            Roughly spatulate. Apex: Emarginate; lacerate. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Lacerate, ragged. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, glabrous; towards the base, pubescent. Texture,            lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 69A. When opening, lower surface: Close to            155A. Fully opened, upper surface: Towards the apex, close            to 65B; towards the base, close to 60C; at base, close to            157B to 157C. Apices becoming closer to 56C with            development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 56D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: About nine to ten in two            whorls. Length: About 0.9 cm to 1.8 cm. Width: About 4 mm to            5 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate to ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 146D.            Color, lower surface: Close to 146A to 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous with silvery            blue bloom. Color: Close to 189A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About 12 to 14 per            flower. Filament length: About 1.8 cm. Filament color: Close            to 155D. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Oblong.            Anther color: Close to 158B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 196A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 3 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted and            coiled at apices. Stigma color: Close to 155A. Style length:            About 1.4 cm. Style color: Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close            to 145A.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Dianthus have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Dianthus.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Dianthus have been observed to    have excellent garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about −5° C. to about 38° C.

1. A new and distinct Dianthus plant named ‘Heart's Desire’ asillustrated and described.